Effect of Adding Extra Virgin Olive Oil to Hair Sheep Lambs' Diets on Productive Performance, Ruminal Fermentation Kinetics and Rumen Ciliate Protozoa.

This study determined productive performance, ruminal fermentation kinetics and rumen ciliate protozoa in hair sheep lambs fed different levels of olive oil. Twenty-four growing lambs were used, with an initial live weight of 10.5 ± 2.9 kg, and randomly assigned into four treatments (six animals per treatment) containing increasing levels of extra virgin olive oil (0, 2, 4 and 6% of dry matter). Animals were fed for 80 days, and sampling was carried out weekly. Intake of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and metabolizable energy (ME) differed between treatments (p < 0.05), with a linear and cubic tendency to decrease when oil concentrations were increased. Digestibility coefficients of OM, CP and NDF were not affected; however, the relationship between total intake and nutrient digestibility (DM, OM, NDF, ADF) increased with 2% DM olive oil. Compared with all treatments, the concentration of propionic acid increased by 16% with 4% olive oil. The intake of olive oil did not affect the protozoa population and live weight gain. Overall, the inclusion of olive oil in low concentrations (2% of DM) positively influences feed intake and nutrient digestibility in hair sheep lambs.

Predicting milk yield in Pelibuey ewes from the udder volume measurement with a simple method.

In this research communication we describe the creation of an equation for the prediction of milk yield (MY) from udder volume (UV). A total of 280 measurements were collected between 5 and 15 d postpartum (pp) from 36 multiparous Pelibuey ewes. Study variables were measured between 2 and 9 weeks pp and MY was measured by manual milking, UV prior to and following milking was measured using the technique of making moulds from aluminium foil. The MY ranged from 0.09 to 0.83 kg/d, meanwhile UV prior and following milking ranged from 155 to 1940 and 90 to 1520 cm3, respectively. Measurements of UV had a moderate to high (P < 0.01; 0.58 ≤ r ≤ 0.78) correlation with MY. The UV prior to milking was the best prediction model for MY, which explained 62% of the variation in MY. This equation presented moderate precision (r2 = 0.61) and high accuracy (bias correction factor = 0.94), confirming a good reproducibility index (concordance correlation coefficient = 0.73). Modelling efficiency (MEF = 0.59) showed moderate concordance between observed and predicted values. In conclusion, MY in lactating Pelibuey ewes could be predicted in a moderate way using the predictor variable UV measured with the technique of moulds made with aluminium foil.

Effect of Feeding Lactating Ewes with Moringa oleifera Leaf Extract on Milk Yield, Milk Composition and Preweaning Performance of Ewe/Lamb Pair.

The objective this study was to evaluate the effect of different doses of Moringa oleifera leaf extract (MOE) on milk production and milk composition in ewes and on preweaning performance of their lambs. Twenty-four lactating ewes were housed individually with their lambs and assigned to four groups in a completely randomized design. The treatments included a basal diet without MOE (MOE0) or a basal diet supplemented with either 20 mL MOE per ewe per day (MOE20), 40 mL MOE per ewe per day (MOE40) or 60 mL MOE per ewe per day (MOE60). Over 45 days, milk production was recorded weekly and individual milk samples were collected for chemical analysis. Milk yield, fat-corrected milk and daily yields were similar among the four treatments. The supply of MOE did not affect ewe weaning efficiency and average daily gain or litter weaning weight of the lambs. Overall, the results from this study showed that dietary supplementation of hydroalcoholic extracts of Moringa oleifera leaves at doses of 20, 40 or 60 mL/ewes/d in lactating ewes does not have negative effects on milk yield, milk composition or lamb performance.

Udder Measurements and Their Relationship with Milk Yield in Pelibuey Ewes.

The study aimed to evaluate the relationship between udder measurements and milk yield (MY) in dairy Pelibuey ewes. Udder measurements were taken twice a week for eight weeks before (initial) and after (final) milking, including udder depth (UD), udder circumference (UC), udder width (UW), teat length (TL) and teat diameter (TD) in 38 multiparous ewes. Additionally, udder volume (UV) and the difference (VDF) between initial UV (UVi) and final (UVf) was calculated as VDF = UVi - UVf. The MY varied from 0.10 kg/d to 1.04 kg/d, with a mean of 0.39 kg/d, ± 0.18 kg/d. Initial UC (UCi) ranged from 25.80 cm to 53.30 cm, and VDF varied from 1 cm3 to 2418 cm3. The TL and TD were not correlated with MY (p > 0.05), while UCi, UVi and VDF were positively correlated with MY (p < 0.0001; r = from 0.66 to 0.74). For the prediction of MY, the obtained equations had an r2 ranging from 0.54 to 0.63. The UCi, UDf, UWi and UWf were included in these models (p < 0.05). It is concluded that there was an acceptable correlation (r = 0.60) between the measurements of the udder, the volume of the udder and the daily milk yield in Pelibuey sheep. When direct measurements of milk production cannot be performed in practice, the measurement of udders and their volume could be a viable alternative to estimate milk yield production as an indirect method.